


Diana's Stories

by Sigilmancy



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2020-11-10 16:22:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20854721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sigilmancy/pseuds/Sigilmancy
Summary: Stories about a blood angel summoner





	1. Keys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Weekly Pet Prompt on Subeta, prompt Keys

The six year old ran deep into the forest, not sure what else to do. Behind her came the yelling of villagers, eager to blame the girl for the fire that had consumed her former home and was threatening others now too, the fire that had killed her elderly caretaker. It wasn't her fault, of course, it was just an accident of someone old and forgetful, but for the everyday folk who were already blaming her for the circumstances of her birth they saw only what they wanted to see.

Eventually the sounds faded; the crackling of the fire, the shouts of the people, everything but the forest around her. Night insects calling out, the rustling of leaves as the wind blew through, bats and birds of prey making noise to track what they were hunting in the small hours of the morning. The young tiefling could run no more now that she wasn't feeling threatened, and she found a tree before curling up at its base to cry.

Crying released her latent magic. All the emotional energy stored up converted itself into something, seeping out of her like an odd aura until it formed into a large canine. It was ghostly at first, then slowly solidified until it was as real as the tree Diana had curled up against.

"Now now little one, do not cry." The canine spoke, leaning forward and licking her face to wipe away the tears.

"Who....Who are you?" She sniffled, looking back up at the creature with fear in her eyes.

"I am you, Diana. You made me, I know everything you do. And I am here to help you. But if you must give me a name, I suppose Ravager will do." He smiled, laying down and putting his head in her lap. Diana responded by reaching out and petting him, not really understanding but feeling comforted by the hound's presence.

Ravager was the key to her future. Without him the six year old would never have survived the forest. He may have been her, but he was also so much more, he knew so much more. Being raised away from society wasn't ideal, but at least she lived and had a future ahead of her instead of dying that night or shortly thereafter.


	2. Enchanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Done for NaNoWriMo 2019

Every time Diana went to town she felt nervous. People stared, and she felt all those eyes on her with a pressure that was almost crushing. But she needed to be there, there were things she could only get from the more 'civilized' people and they would trade her for the pelts she brought in from hunts and the healing salves she made that were better than anything they had aside from the magical healing potions. To her the stares were awful, and she assumed it was because she was odd and stuck out amongst everyone else. Tieflings were a rare sight, and rarer still was Ravager at her side, but she did not understand that the stares were not of disgust or fear but rather almost a sense of envy.

Diana walked with confidence, even if she didn't feel it all the time. Her head was high, and every stride was of nearly perfect posture. There was an air of grace about her that was unusual for a tiefling, some kind of holy aura that no one could explain in what was surely such an unholy creature. That was why they all stared in awe of her.

But she didn't know that, and she didn't feel the same sense that the people saw in her. In fact Diana wished she could hide away and never have to deal with the town ever again. But her need for survival drove her, so she walked with her usual enchanted air and headed for all the usual spots; a seamstress who happily took all the pelts she had in exchange for a repair job on one of Diana's dresses and a new winter coat for the coming cold months plus a bit of extra coin, the local alchemist who traded her stash of healing salves for some harder to get herbs, some empty bottles, and more coin to cover what supplies didn't, and finally off to the butcher to trade the coin for as much dried meat as it was worth so she'd have a food supply when the snow began to fall and hunting and foraging would not be enough to sustain both her and Ravager.

Then, as suddenly as she had come in Diana was gone. The air of power that came with her left too, and the village went back to its usual quiet state. It would remain like that until Diana had to come back for some reason, as always. She was the only real source of anything in the village that came around on a regular, and somewhat predictable, basis and even if she didn't know it they did enjoy seeing her when she did come. Maybe someday she would see that, maybe.


	3. Honey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Weekly Pet Prompt on Subeta, prompt Honey

As much as the child thought he was being stealthy, Ravager heard him a mile off crashing through the underbrush of the dark forest. He woke Diana with a nudge, alerting her to the presence of the young one, then he went off to follow his usual scare tactics in hopes the boy might turn back before he could reach the clearing and the little hut that stood there. Diana, on the other hand, began to prepare just in case he did, starting a fire in the little pit and pouring some water drawn earlier that day into a small pot to boil. She set the table for two, fetched some tea, and put some of her hand made honey candies on a little plate.

Eventually the obvious noise came closer, and a teenage boy emerged into the clearing. He looked spooked, and Ravager came out behind him just as Diana appeared in the doorway. Poor boy looked about ready to wet himself at the sight of them both, trapped now between the witch of the woods and her familiar.

"Calm down, dear one. I will not hurt you." Diana spoke slowly, her common still not that good despite all her dealings with the villagers. "Come inside, and will will talk hm?" She stood back from the door, and to emphasize the point Ravager came up behind him and gave him a nudge. The boy stumbled forward before walking numbly towards the door and inside.

Maybe twenty feet in diameter and round, the hut was small but homey. A pile of furs on top of some straw lay in one corner, where Diana and Ravager slept, and on the other side the cooking pit and all the cooking supplies. In between were shelves lined with jars filled with herbs and other things, various stuff hanging from the ceiling beams to dry or otherwise process, and one small shelf with some books. Diana went to fetch the pot and poured the hot water into both cups, sprinkling some herbs in and allowing them to steep as she took a seat at the table.

"Please, sit." She motioned, watching the scared boy do as she said. "You have nothing to fear from me. What is your name?"

"A-Aiden." He stammered, looking at Diana with wide eyes.

"Aiden. I assume you are here because the other boys dared you to come out?" She smiled as he nodded. "Good. I will let you in on a secret; in the past few years you are only the third boy brave enough to make it all the way here. The rest have all run well before reaching my home, and anything they have brought back have been gifts left by Ravager for them to take so they did not have to admit to the rest they were too scared to come." Diana watched the realization dawn on him, and that seemed to also help him relax a little bit.

"So...does that mean I get something more for getting here?" He asked, looking up at her hopefully.

"Indeed. Some conversation, as I believe the best cure to fear and ingnorance is information. Something to take back to prove you were here, of course, and a few treats." Diana finally picked the tea up and took a sip, leaning back in her chair a little bit.

Over the next few hours Aiden relaxed, had some tea and a few of the honey candies, and opened up to Diana. She had that effect on people, and didn't mind staying up all night to hold the conversation. As the sun began to rise on the far horizon Diana stood and went to the shelves, grabbing a jar full of more of the honey candies. As she'd told Aiden, they were simply a mixture of honey and tea boiled down until there wasn't too much liquid left and then she scooped out what was left and let it cool and dry. The honey was not easy to get, but Diana knew the secrets and could easily obtain more. She also gave him a wind chime made of animal bones, similar to the ones that hung outside in the clearing. A nice thing to take back, which would for sure get him some points for 'stealing' something that made noise and the time spent away he could easily spin into having been chased all night after taking the chime.

Once he was on his way Diana leaned in the doorway of her hut, watching him go and giving a wave when he turned back and smiled. He would be back during the daytime, as with most she spoke to for any length of time, and she would continue to educate him as long as he wished to come back to her.

"The boy has a talent for herbs, doesn't he?" Ravager asked, his voice a low growl. He'd stayed quiet the whole night, laying in bed but not sleeping as he kept watch.

"Yes. He seems to have an instinct for them. I feel that he will love the garden when I can show it to him." Diana gave a tired smile, turning back inside to clean up the tea cups and put away any uneaten candy so it wouldn't attract bugs being left out. Then she settled in to bed to sleep for a few hours, Ravager curling up next to her to sleep but also keep guard as he always did.


	4. Unexpected Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Weekly Pet Prompt on Subeta, prompt Unexpected Kiss

"Diana, wake up!" Ravager nudged the woman, and when that didn't work he stuck his tongue out and dragged it along her face. To most it might be pleasant, like when a pet decided to lick its owners face, but Ravager's tongue was more akin to the rough surface of a feline tongue despite his canine appearance and instead of sliding over her skin it got snagged and hurt which made Diana roll over and physically push Ravager away from her.

"Stop, it is too early for that." She grumbled, trying to pull the blanket back up over her until Ravager grabbed it with his teeth and pulled back.

"Get up. Now." Ravager growled, waiting until Diana sat up and looked at him with a glare.

"What? What could be so important you have wake me this early Ravager?" Diana hissed in return, grumpy at the rude awakening.

"There is a nasty storm brewing on the horizon. I would say you have an hour, maybe two at the most, to prepare." Ravager sat, imitating a shrugging movement as best he could.

"Fuck." Diana repeated the word she'd heard used as an expression of something unpleasant by the villagers, and quickly pulled herself up to start getting ready for the storm. She didn't even bother getting dressed; no villagers would dare to come out with a storm so close, and she only wore clothes when she might have to deal with them. Animals did not wear clothing, and she considered herself the same as Ravager or the squirrels that had also sensed the storm and were gathering food to wait it out safely in their dens, but to the villagers apparently anything human in shape was required to cover up at least a little bit and the few times they had seen her without clothing it had caused quite a disturbance until she put on something. Pointless in her eyes, but it was easier than having the villagers making a fuss over things.

Mentally Diana went over everything she'd have to do; check the roof to make sure it wouldn't leak, put up the magical barriers around the garden so they could get the rain but not be damaged by the wind, close up the windows, reinforce the door, and make sure the clearing was free of any overhanging tree branches or unsteady trees around the edges that might fall and do damage.

Ravager helped where he could, of course, scouting for and dealing with the last bit on the list while Diana made her way to the roof to patch a few places and fix things in the way of the roof's slope so the water would fall away instead of pooling in places. Then she checked on the garden and got that situated, and closed the windows. Just as she finished doing that the first droplets of rain began to fall, landing on her blood colored skin like feather-light kisses. The wind gave one last gust, pushing the dark clouds ever closer, and just as Diana made it back inside and shut the door the downpour began.

The world would be loud, for a time. The heavy drops hitting the roof, beating against the solid ground before being absorbed and making one sound that would transform into the wet plop of rain on mud and puddles in due course. Wind, normally silent, sound warped by the forest until it sounded like screams to ears that weren't used to them. Claps of thunder echoing across the landscape, causing fear in children while the lightning that caused it was harnessed by mages for power. To Diana, though, all of it was soothing. Shortly after the rain began she started a fire in her hearth, the smoke draining up through a makeshift chimney with a slanted covered top like a miniature version of the house roof to keep rain from falling inside. She boiled water for tea, and sat to stare out the window into the gloom and relax for a while as the storm raged on outside.


End file.
